Tennessee State Museum Family Guide
Your family's interactive journey through Tennessee's history from prehistoric times to today.
Ready for Your Tennessee Adventure?
This interactive guide transforms your museum visit into an engaging adventure. Features include an interactive Time Tunnel timeline, kids' activities with charts, planning tools, and a perfect day itinerary - all designed to make history come alive for your family!
📋 Plan Your Visit
Free admission and parking! Get essential information about hours, amenities, and family-friendly features at Nashville's premier museum.
⏳ Time Tunnel Experience
Interactive timeline journey through Tennessee's history with clickable exhibits and can't-miss artifacts perfect for kids.
👧 Kids & Perfect Day
Children's Gallery activities, visit time charts, and a complete day itinerary combining the museum with nearby attractions.
Tennessee State Museum Family Guide
Your Tennessee Museum Adventure
An interactive guide for your family's trip through time!
Plan Your Visit
Here is all the essential information you need for a smooth and stress-free visit. The museum is incredibly family-friendly and accessible, with free admission and parking, making it a perfect destination.
📍 Location & Hours
Address: 1000 Rosa L. Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN 37208
Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat: 10am – 5pm
Thursday: 10am – 8pm
Sunday: 1pm – 5pm
Monday: Closed
🎟️ Admission & Parking
FREE!
Admission to all permanent exhibits is free for everyone. Parking is also free in the lot across the street.
👨👩👧👦 Family Amenities
✅ Stroller friendly
✅ Free lockers for bags & coats
✅ Quiet areas for breaks
✅ Picnic tables outside
🥪 Food & Drink
No food in galleries, but you have great options!
1. Nashville Farmers' Market: Next door with ~20 restaurants.
2. Pack a Picnic: Use the tables near the main entrance.
Explore the Time Tunnel
The museum's main exhibit is a journey through Tennessee's history, from prehistoric times to today. Click on a period in the timeline below to learn about the stories and see a "can't-miss" artifact for kids!
Just for Kids!
The museum is packed with fun for its youngest visitors. This section highlights the best activities and resources designed specifically to engage children and make history come alive.
🎨 Children's Gallery
A huge, color-filled room for hands-on fun! Features a giant floor map of Tennessee, a reading nook, building blocks, and a Magna-Tiles quilting table. It's the perfect place to start or end your visit.
📚 Storytime
A can't-miss program for ages 3-6!
When: Every Tuesday & Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
It's free and includes a story and a craft activity. ASL interpretation is available on the 4th Saturday of the month.
📜 History Passport & Scavenger Hunt
Don't forget to pick up the free "Passport to Tennessee History" at the front desk! It turns the visit into a game as kids collect stamps in each gallery.
DIY Scavenger Hunt Idea: Create a checklist of cool artifacts to find, like Daniel Boone's musket or the mastodon jawbone!
⏳ Recommended Visit Time
How much time do you need for a family visit?
Plan a Perfect Day
The museum's location is perfect for a full day of family fun without moving your car! Follow this simple itinerary for a seamless adventure combining history, food, and play.
Morning (10:00 AM)
Arrive and park for free. Head into the Tennessee State Museum! Grab your History Passport and explore the Time Tunnel and Children's Gallery.
Lunch (12:30 PM)
Walk next door to the Nashville Farmers' Market. With tons of food vendors, everyone can pick their favorite meal.
Afternoon (1:30 PM)
Time to play! Head to the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park right in front of the museum. Run on the lawns, see the fountains, and burn off some energy before heading home.
Tennessee State Museum Infographic
Your Tennessee Museum Adventure!
A pre-trip guide for your family's journey through time.
Admission
FREE
for everyone, always!
Parking
FREE
right across the street.
Plan Your Adventure
🕒 Hours of Operation
- Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat: 10am – 5pm
- Thursday: 10am – 8pm (Late Night!)
- Sunday: 1pm – 5pm
- Monday: Closed
📍 Location
1000 Rosa L. Parks Blvd, Nashville, TN
Next to the Nashville Farmers' Market & Bicentennial Mall.
Recommended Visit Time
For a family with kids, this is the sweet spot to see the highlights and have fun without getting tired.
Journey Through the Time Tunnel
The museum takes you on a chronological path through Tennessee's history. Here are the "can't-miss" artifacts for kids in each era!
Natural History
See a massive Mastodon Jawbone from an ice-age giant!
First Peoples
Discover ancient statues and real Dugout Canoes.
Forging a Nation
Check out Daniel Boone's Musket & a huge Conestoga Wagon.
Change and Challenge
Find war hero Alvin C. York's Medal of Honor.
Tennessee Transforms
Celebrate Music City and Civil Rights heroes.
The Heart of the Fun: Children's Gallery
🗺️
Giant Floor Map
Run from Memphis to the Smokies!
📖
Storytime
Free stories & crafts every Tues & Sat at 10:30am.
🎨
Magna-Tile Quilts
Create your own colorful quilt designs.
🚂
Builder's Zone
A train table and blocks for creative fun.
PASSPORT
History Passport
Grab this free booklet for a museum-wide scavenger hunt!
🖍️
Artist's Corner
Coloring pages based on museum exhibits.
Your Perfect Day Itinerary
at Farmers' Market
at Bicentennial Park